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When I was in college, I had a set of R. Crumb’s “Heroes of the Blues” trading cards:

These were pretty cool, so I hung them up in the bedroom of my first apartment, marching around the walls up near the top like a wallpaper border.

Apparently my decorating tastes haven’t really evolved much at all since then, as I seem to keep recreating the same kind of thing over and over again in my current house.

First with banner after banner in my dining room (examples here, here, and here) and then, most recently, in our office with some vintage math flash cards.

But, truthfully, all of these attempts to recapture my youth fell a little bit short, because none of the graphics I was using for the assorted cards ever really lived up to the glory of the Heroes of the Blues. Until now!

Awhile back, I won a giveaway on the RV Family Travel Atlas podcast for both a See America calendar, which is hanging proudly in my kitchen:

….and a book of postcards, which I’ve finally put to use now in Abe’s room, in the form of this banner:

(I was pleased with this photo until I noticed the errant toddler clothes I’d neglected to tuck securely into the drawers. Oh well).

I’ll let the See America project describe itself:

Reviving the legacy of the New Deal arts projects by inviting artists & designers from all 50 states to create a new collection of See America posters celebrating our shared natural landmarks and treasured sites. We are actively seeking new images, all contributions are welcome, and all submitted designs are available for sale through the site as prints. 40% of all proceeds go directly to the artists.

So this is a very cool and very well executed idea, and I feel very lucky that it exists right when I’m doing a National Parks kid room, and I want to buy ALL THE THINGS on their site. And it’s possible I did buy some things and that you’ll be seeing them soon.

But I didn’t have to buy these postcards, because I won them. Free!!!

They also have a new book out, which I probably need, too.

So, anyway, to sum up: my See America postcards compete in coolness with my R. Crumb Heroes of the Blues cards (incidentally, I have no idea what ever happened to those cards), and now I pretty much feel like I’m in college again.

Here’s how you can make your very own See America National Parks banner:

Obtain:

*See America postcard book

*baker’s twine

*micro sized binder clips

Do:

Hammer tiny nails into the wall where your banner should begin and end (and maybe in the middle somewhere, if that’s the look you’re going for. Ours turns a corner, so we had three nails altogether). Tie baker’s twine around nails. Use binder clips to hang postcards at whatever intervals please you. As you can see, I really branched out here, using binder clips instead of my usual clothespins. I wanted something more modern in here. I briefly contemplated some super colorful metal clips instead, but then I thought super colorful clips + also super colorful postcards + bright green walls = too much.

I’m really pleased with how this turned out. I like that it meant I didn’t have to satisfy myself with picking only a few of the See America prints, but could instead have SO MANY. Abe said, “oh! I have a banner now!” So I think that means he likes it, too.

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